Contact photocopy apparatus

ABSTRACT

A photocopy machine of the contact type has a transparent cylinder incorporated within a housing to be exposed when a cover is raised for insertion and removal of paper. A flexible sheet is secured to a front portion of the housing, the sheet extending beneath the cylinder and encircling the cylinder. The other end of the flexible sheet is secured to the free or distal end of the cover. A pivotable and slidable mounting of the cover on the housing permits the cover to draw the film tightly around the cylinder when the cover is closed and permits the sheet to loosely conform to the bottom of the cylinder when the cover is opened for easy insertion and removal of original and copy papers between the flexible sheet and the cylinder.

United States Patent [1 1 Frost [111 3,744,903 [451 July 10,1973

[ CONTACT PHOTOCOPY APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Solomon Frost, Barr Road, Berwyn,

22 Filed: June 14, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 152,882

Primary ExaminerSamuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Richard M. Sheer Attorney-Allen D. Brufsky et a1.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A photocopy machine of the contact type has a transparent cylinder incorporated within a housing to be exposed when a cover is raised for insertion and removal of paper. A flexible sheet is secured to a front portion of the housing, the sheet extending beneath the cylinder and encircling the cylinder. The other end of the flexible sheet is secured to the free or distal end of the cover. A pivotable and slidable mounting of the cover on the housing permits the cover to draw the film tightly around the cylinder when the cover is closed and permits the sheet to loosely conform to the bottom of the cylinder when the cover is opened for easy insertion and removal of original and copy papers between the flexible sheet and the cylinder.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CONTACT PHOTOCOPY APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a contact photocopy apparatus of the type wherein a transparent cylinder houses a light source and an original and copy paper are wrapped around the cylinder for exposure by light from the light source.

2. State of the Prior Art In US. Pat. No. 3,289,562, there is disclosed a document copier having a transparent cylinder mounted on top of a box-like cabinet with an illumination source within the cylinder. A sheet of plastic is secured beneath the cylinder and wraps around the top of the cylinder to hold the original and copy paper in firm contact with the cylinder during exposure of the copy paper. A102 hemicylindrical cover is hinged at one side to the top of the cabinet and the free end of the cover is secured to the distal end of the plastic sheet, the cover oerlying the cylinder and drawing the plastic sheet around the cylinder when the cover is closed.

the shape of this document copier is functional in that the shape of the copier conforms to the functional parts of he apparatus. Such shapes do not always have a pleasing appearance and the resulting machine is inattractive. It is desirable to eliminate external protuberances such as the hemicylindrical cover of the copier of US. Pat. 3,289,562 to achieve a more pleasing design. Preferably, the cylinder should be integrated into a well designed housing.

OBJECTS By various aspects of this invention one or more of the following, or other, objects can be obtained.

It is an object of this invention to provide a contact photocopy apparatus having a transparent cylinder for supporting an original and copy paper wherein the cylinder is functionally integrated into a pleasing design without the loss of functional characteristics of the machine.

It is another object of this invention to provide a well designed photocopy machine of the contact type and having a stiff cover for a transparent cylinder for controlling the position of the flexible sheet with respect to the cylinder, the cover pivotably mounted on the housing for drawing the sheet tightly against the cylinder when the cover is closed and providing a seprration of the sheet from the cylinder for insertion and removal of the original and copy papers.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a contact photocopy apparatus wherein all of the elements are neatly incorporated into a well designed cabinet.

Other aspects, objects, and the several advantages of this invention are apparent to one skilled in the art from a study of this disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION A photocopy apparatus has a housing including a top wall and a front wall. An elongated opening is formed in the housing at a front comer thereof and in the top and front walls. A transparent cylinder is positioned within the housing and is free to rotate about its cylindrical axis. This freedom of rotation facilitates the ease of insertion of the papers into the machine. A major portion of the cylinders surface is exposed through the elongated opening of the housing. A cylindrical light source is disposed within the cylinder for illumination of the cylinder. A stiff cover, positioned within the opening and adapted to overlie the exposed portion of the cylinder is pivotably mounted at two positions at the top wall of the housing permitting movement of the cover between an open position exposing the portion of the cylinder. A flexible sheet has one end secured to a front portion of the housing and extends beneath the cylinder and is secured at the other end thereof to the distal end of the cover. The mounting of the cover on the housing includes a slidable connection between the cover and the housing top wall so as to permit the flexible sheet to be drawn tightly over the cylinder when the cover is in the closed position and to permit separation of the flexible sheet from the cylinder when the cover is in the open position. The slidable connection permits the cover to drop into the housing somewhat when the cover is open, thereby yielding slack in the flexible sheet beneath the cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the photocopy apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partialsectional view taken aong lines II-Il of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevationa view in section taken along lines IIIIII of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the cover in the open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 through 3 in particular, of is shown a photocopy machine having a housing 12 which includes a top wall 13 and a front wall 14. An elongated opening 15 is formed in the top front corner of the housing 12, the opening extending into the top wall 13 and the front wall 14. A cover 16 is disposed within the opening 15. The cover has a rounded portion 17 including a handle ledge 18 and a rear straight portion 19. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shape of the cover 16 thus conforms with the shape of the top wall 13 and the front wall 14 adjacent the opening 15 when the cover is closed so that the cover is integrated into the smooth design of the housing. A timer switch 20 is mounted on the top wall 13 of the housing for controlling the exposure OF the copy paper.

An elongated light source 22 is mounted on light 24 within a transparent cylinder 26. The light source 22 can be any suitable cylindrical lighting means, such as a fluorescent lamp. For the well known diazotype printing process, the lamp must be capable of emitting ultraviolet rays in the 3500 4200 Angstron range. The light source is mounted centrally, i.e.-, along the central axis, of the cylinder 20 so that radiation from the light source passes uniformly through the wall and over the entire contact surface of the cylinder 26. The cylinder 20 can be formed of any clear, transparent material which does not absorb substantial amounts of ulraviolet radiation. Such matrials include acrylic resins, sold under the trademarks Lucite and Plexiglass or glass cylindrical tubing that is suitable for transmission of the appropriate light.

The lamp holders contain electrical sockets and are connected to the fluorescent lighting bulb. Within the housing additional electrical parts, that arenecessary for the operation of the bulb, are enclosed.

A flexible sheet 30 wraps around the cylinder 26 and maintains an original and copy paper 36 in firm cotact with the outer surface of cylindr 26 for exposure by the light source 22. The flexible sheet 30 has a width substantially equal to the length of cylinder 26 and is securedat one end through fasteners 32 to a front portion of the housing adjacent the cylinder 26. he sheet wraps around beneaththe cylinder 26 and is secured at the other end to the distal end of the cover 16 at 34 by adhesives or other suitable fastening means. When the cover is in the closed position overlying the cylinder 26 as illustrated in FIG. 2, the sheet 30 is draw tighty around the cylinder 26 to maintain the original and copy papers 36 in firm contact with the outer surface of cylinder 26 for uniform exposure of the copy paper. hen the cover is raised, the distal end of he cover raises the free end of the sheet 36 to efect a separation between the sheet 30 and the cylindr 26 for removal of the original and copy papers.

Because the cylinder 26 is integrated in the smooth de-sign of the housing 12, it is necessary to mount the cover 16 so that it pivots at or near the top wall 13 of the housing. If a normal pivot were provided between the cover and the housing, the flexible sheet 30 would remain taut when the cover is opened, thereby maintaining the flexible sheet 30 in firm contact with the bottom portion of the cylinder 26. This condition would make insertion and removal of originaland copy papers very difficul. difficult. Accordingly, the invention provides a slidable mounting of the cover on the housing so as to permit the cover to drop slightly when the over is raised to generate slack in the flexible sheet 30 beneath the bottom of the cylinder 26. When this occurs, the sheet loosely conforms to the underneath portion of the cylinder 26 and oiiginal and copy papers can be easily slid89llies generally between the cylinder 26 and the flexible sheet 30. The pivot axis of the cover is parallel to the axis of the cylinder 26 and liesgenerally in a hrixontal plane tangent to the top of the cylinder 30.

The pivotable and slidable joint between the cover 16 and the top wall 13 of the housing includes a pair of pins 38 which are fixed to the top wall 13 and extend inardly from the sides of the opening 15. Elongated slots 40 are provided at'the back end of the cover at either side thereof for receiving the pins 18. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the pins 28 are in the back of the slots535 40. When the cover is raised as in FIG. 4, the cover candrop so that the pins 38 are in the front portion of the slots 40.

In operation of the photocopy apparatus, the cover is raised as in FIG. 4 and the cover drops so that the pins 38 are positioned in the front of the slots 40 thereby providing slack in the sheet 30 beneath the cyinder 26. An original and a copy paper are inserted between the sheet 30 ad the cylinder 26 by inserting the sheet around back and underneath the cylinder 26. The original is laced with its printed surface in contact with the outer surface of cylinder 26. The cover 16 is then drawn downwardly and forwardly so that the pins 18 move to the back of slots 40 until the cover reaches the closed position illustrated in FIG. 2. The sheet 30 will be drawn tightly around the cylinder 26 so that the original and copy paper are firmly pressed against the cylinder 26. The timer switch 20 is then tuned on for the proper exposure time, whereby the light source 22 is activated to expose the copy paper for the desired time limit. When the time interval for exposure is completed, the light source 22 is deactivated, the cover 16 is raised and the original and copy paper are removed. Again, when the cover 16 is raised, the cover is dropped sightly so that the pins 38 reach the forward portions of slot 40, thereby generating slack in the sheet 30 for easy removal of the original and copy papers.

The apparatus has been described with reference to a hinge having elongated slots in a cover 16 and pins fixed into the top wall 13 of housing 12. Obviously, other arrangements can be devised to accomplish the same function. For example, the pins can be fixed in the cover 16 and the elongated slots can be placed vertically at the edges of the opening 15 in the top wall 13.

The invention provides a uniquely designed photocopy apparatus which incorporates the elongated cylinder within a simple housing. A cover functions to overlie the cylinder and draw a flexible sheet over the cylinder when closed, and to expose the cylinder and draw back the flexible sheet when opened for easy removal of the original and copy papers. Because the flexible sheet 30 extends beneath the cylinder 26 to the front portion of the housing, the diameter of the cylinder 26 can be minimized. This arrangement of the sheet and the cyinder requires that the sheet be separated from the cylinder 26 for easy removal and insertion of original and copy papers. The problem of a taut film 30 against the bttom of cylinder 26 when the cover is open is eliminated by the slidable connection between the cover and the housing, such problem being due to the mounting of the cover on the top of the housing. it is thus seen that the cylinder is easily and functionally incorporated into a pleasing designed housing which is of minimum size.

As earlier stated, the cover 16 is raised as in FIG. 4 to operate the photocopy apparatus. It is also contemplated that the cover be capable of pivoting back an additional 15 to 30. This is readily accomplished by appropriately sloping the back supporting structure.

Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.

1. A contact photocopy apparatus comprising:

a housing including a top wall and a front wall, said top and front walls defining an elongated opening in said housing at a front portion thereof, said opening extending into said top and front walls;

a transparent cylinder fixed in said housing and having a portion of the surface thereof exposed through said opening;

an elongated light source disposed within said cylinder for illumination of said cylinder;

a stiff cover positioned within said opening and adapted to overlie said exposed portion of said cylinder;

means pivotalby mounting one end of said cover to said top wall of said housing for permitting movement of said cover between an open position exposing said portion of said cylinder, and a closed position overlying said portion of said cylinder; a flexible sheet extending beneath the said cylindersubstantially encircling said cylinder; means securing one end of said flexible sheet to said front portion of said housing; means securing the other end of said flexible sheetto the distal end of said cover; said pivotable mounting means for said cover including a slidable connection between said cover and said housing top wall, said slidable connection when moved in one direction permitting said flexible sheet to be drawn tightly over said cylinder and said cover to be moved to said closed position and when moved in a direction opposite said one direction permitting separation of said flexible sheet from said cylinder and allowing said cover to be moved to said open position. 2. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said slidable connection includes elongated slots in said one end of said cover at the side portions thereof, and pinsmounted in said housing, said pins extending into said opening and engaging said slots.

3. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cover is shaped to conform with the top and front walls of said housing when in said closed position.

4. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pivotable mounting means is above the center line of said cylinder.

5. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pivotable mounting means for said cover is above said cylinder.

6. A contact photocopy apparatus comprising:

a housing having an elongated opening therein at a front portion thereof;

a transparent cylinder fixed in said housing and having a portion of its surface exposed through said elongated opening;

an elongated light source disposed within said cylinder for illumination of said cylinder;

a flexible sheet of material encircling said cylinder, said sheet being secured at one end to said front portion of said housing;

a stiff cover positioned within said elongated opening and overlying said cylinder, said sheet being secured at its other end to a front portion of said cover,

means pivotally mounting said cover at a rear portion thereof to said housing, said pivotable mounting means including a slidable connection between said cover and said housing, said slidable connection when moved in one direction permitting said flexible sheet to be drawn tightly over said cylinder and said cover to be moved to a closed position and when moved in a direction opposite said one direction permitting separation of said flexible sheet from said cylinder and allowing said cover to be moved to an opened position.

7. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the pivotable axis of said cover is parallel to and above the center line of said cylinder.

8. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the pivotable axis of said cover is parallel to the centerline of said cylinder and lies in a horizontal plane which is tangent to the top of said cylinder. 

1. A contact photocopy apparatus comprising: a housing including a top wall and a front wall, said top and front walls defining an elongated opening in said housing at a front portion thereof, said opening extending into said top and front walls; a transparent cylinder fixed in said housing and having a portion of the surface thereof exposed through said opening; an elongated light source disposed within said cylinder for illumination of said cylinder; a stiff cover positioned within said opening and adapted to overlie said exposed portion of said cylinder; means pivotably mounting one end of said cover to said top wall of said housing for permitting movement of said cover between an open position exposing said portion of said cylinder, and a closed position overlying said portion of said cylinder; a flexible sheet extending beneath the said cylinder substantially encircling said cylinder; means securing one end of said flexible sheet to said front portion of said housing; means securing the other end of said flexible sheet to the distal end of said cover; said pivotable mounting means for said cover including a slidable connection between said cover and said housing top wall, said slidable connection when moved in one direction permitting said flexible sheet to be drawn tightly over said cylinder and said cover to be moved to said closed position and when moved in a direction opposite said one direction permitting separation of said flexible sheet from said cylinder and allowing said cover to be moved to said open position.
 2. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said slidable connection includes elongated slots in said one end of said cover at the side portions thereof, and pins mounted in said housing, said pins extending into said opening and engaging said slots.
 3. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cover is shaped to conform with the top and front walls of said housing when in said closed position.
 4. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pivotable mounting means is above the center line of said cylinder.
 5. A contact photocopy apparaTus according to claim 1 wherein said pivotable mounting means for said cover is above said cylinder.
 6. A contact photocopy apparatus comprising: a housing having an elongated opening therein at a front portion thereof; a transparent cylinder fixed in said housing and having a portion of its surface exposed through said elongated opening; an elongated light source disposed within said cylinder for illumination of said cylinder; a flexible sheet of material encircling said cylinder, said sheet being secured at one end to said front portion of said housing; a stiff cover positioned within said elongated opening and overlying said cylinder, said sheet being secured at its other end to a front portion of said cover, means pivotably mounting said cover at a rear portion thereof to said housing, said pivotable mounting means including a slidable connection between said cover and said housing, said slidable connection when moved in one direction permitting said flexible sheet to be drawn tightly over said cylinder and said cover to be moved to a closed position and when moved in a direction opposite said one direction permitting separation of said flexible sheet from said cylinder and allowing said cover to be moved to an opened position.
 7. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the pivotable axis of said cover is parallel to and above the center line of said cylinder.
 8. A contact photocopy apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the pivotable axis of said cover is parallel to the center line of said cylinder and lies in a horizontal plane which is tangent to the top of said cylinder. 